Imperium Offtopicum V Beta
| run = 5 September–13 October 2010 | turns = 6 | genre = Industrial | setting = | events = Revolution of 1806 | link = Game thread Orders thread }} Imperium Offtopicum V: Beta was a mini-IOT, created as a quasi-reboot of Imperium Offtopicum V to test revamped rules in preparation for a full future game. It was co-moderated by the surviving staff from IOT 5, with Joecoolyo returning as taskmaster. Intended to run for 20 turns, it was the first game to feature a player cap and preferential waitlist; it also featured a dedicated orders thread to ease the update process, originally proposed for IOT 5 due to several players' orders being drowned out by spam. The game launched 5 September 2010 and was cancelled after only six turns due to waning player activity. While Joe and Owen Glyndwr asserted it provided useful test data, they decided further development would be suspended in the hope of returning 'fresh'. An official sequel never materialized and co-moderation was abandoned until Multipolarity II in 2012, however elements of the ruleset inspired several spin-offs, most famously Iron and Blood. Gameplay The game began in 1800 with each turn representing one year. Updates were scheduled for every 2–3 days, with initial orders due 24 hours after update. Players were predetermined based on GM preference during development, with a backup roster if any of the ten original countries needed replacement. The map was modified from IOT 5, confined to Europe, North Africa and the Near East. Players selected ten territories in close proximity. There were no real restrictions on countries save that they made sense for the time period. Later-joining players received the world average technology level. They could not claim additional territory or spend income the turn they joined. Territory Players were initially granted up to six expansion points per turn, with certain technology granting additional points. Claims had to be either contiguous or on a viable sea route; claims on a different continent were designated Colonies and required an active navy. Every five colonial territories incurred a logistical upkeep of one active fleet, or further claims were negated. Economy Each territory produced 1 income (IC) per turn, representing base income. Certain technologies increased base income, with Steam Power enabling direct investment into industrialization, with every 1 IC boosting base income by 1%. Trade agreements increased base income by a percentage of the partner's own; trade agreements were capped by technology. Embargoes (blockades) reduced a country's industrialization bonus by 5% and cancelled all trade agreements. Income could not be banked, and unspent funds were lost at the end of the turn. Technology Technology was categorized in five groups of twelve levels each: Army, Navy, Civics, Economy, and Science. Unlike the previous game, each technology level had a set price and defined effect, such as increasing expansion points or raising combat effectiveness, with some requiring research from other categories. Partial investment could be made that carried over into future turns, however a country could initially research only one category at a time, losing progress on unfinished level(s) if switching categories. Countries could designate a National Focus, providing a research bonus on a single category. Focuses could be switched at any time, but all income was effectively forfeited that turn. Diplomacy The action cap on diplomacy from IOT 5 was scrapped. Five agreements were recognized for gameplay purposes: * Trade agreements, providing bonus income to both partners; * Embargoes, apparently conflated with blockades, cancelling all target trade agreements as well as penalizing industrial income; * Non-aggression pacts, technically non-binding but that would incur "steep consequences" if violated; * Defensive pacts, automatically calling signatories into a defensive war; * Alliances, harmonizing countries' foreign policy in both defensive and offensive wars. Casus belli The game reused the casus belli system from IOT 5, penalizing unjustified wars by halving income for their duration. By default, countries had a valid pretext for war when * two countries claimed the same province; * an ally was attacked; * a country was embargoed or blockaded; * a country was preventing naval passage. Additionally, countries could justify a war goal against a rival with a substantially different government or religion, in consultation with the game moderator. Military Armed forces were tracked on the map. Units were divided into Armies and Fleets, and with appropriate research, air wings. Units were levied for free, and every 10 provinces provided one unit free support; however progressive mobilization lowered army quality across the board, and maintenance costs increased exponentially for each unit above the support limit (excepting air forces, which followed different rules). Units were automatically disbanded if upkeep exceeded income. Each newly-recruited unit could be positioned anywhere in friendly territory, although armies were limited to 1 per province, and air wings 5. Each turn, armies could move up to 10 provinces and three sea zones, although speed was halved when entering enemy territory. Fleets had a default range of 3 sea zones from a friendly "home port". Air wings were likewise based in a province and operated within a limited rage, with sea zones costing 2 movement points and oceans 3. Maximum range of all units was increased with certain technology levels. Army Ground forces were subject to an aggregate Army Quality that determined their base combat effectiveness, starting at 5 and ranging from 1–10. Every 5 armies levied lowered Quality by 1; it was improved by direct IC investment at a fixed base price per level that doubled for every 10 armies in the field. Each army had an individual Morale stat that functioned similar to Quality, and represented a unit's health. Morale improved by winning battles and decreased from losses, with the unit deserting if Morale fell to 1. Units kept out of combat would gradually restore morale to their base level. At higher levels, Morale required multiple battles to improve (although did not require a 'winning streak'); conversely, every 2 consecutive defeats lowered Morale by 1 level. Armies moving by sea were considered unarmed transports and would automatically lose to a hostile fleet if unescorted. Navy In addition to direct combat and zone-of-control, fleets could blockade sea zones, nullifying a varying number of enemy trade agreements depending on the effective scope of the blockade. Late-game technology enabled fleets to act as mobile airbases. Similar to Morale, each fleet tracked Hull Integrity, representing the physical health of the ship(s), with a fleet sunk when Integrity was reduced to 0. Maximum Integrity was improved through research, and damaged ships could repair a varying number of points per turn when docked in port. Air Air forces were enabled by research and divided into two categories: Fighters and Bombers. Unlike other units, air wings did not have a set maintenance fee but instead cost a percentage of total income (1% per fighter, 5% per bomber). Fighters acted as interceptors and close air support, and would inflict bonus Morale/Integrity damage against unsupported surface forces. Bombers were dedicated ground attack craft that inflicted higher damage, and could strategically bomb undefended provinces for -0.5% Industrialization damage; bombers could not engage fighters, and would lose automatically if unescorted. Like fleets, air wings featured Fleet Integrity as a measure of unit health. Combat All combat was conducted through RNG, with slightly different rules for each theatre: Ground combat compared opposing Army Quality and Morale in addition to technology bonuses. Defending armies received an automatic bonus and won on ties; in addition, every turn an army remained in a province provided an incremental fortification bonus, up to 5. Unlike IOT 5, neighbouring armies did not contribute to defence, but multiple attacking armies incurred a flanking penalty to the defender. Defeated defenders could retreat to a friendly neighbouring province; only armies reduced to Morale 1, or that could not evacuate, were destroyed outright. Naval battles were determined primarily through numerical superiority, with multiple fleets able to 'stack' in a sea zone. In addition to determining the winning side, the differential between combat roles determined the Integrity damage to each fleet, with low differentials producing roughly equal damage to both sides and high differentials skewing in favour of the victor. Defeated fleets could retreat to any neighbouring zone; if this was occupied by a hostile fleet, another battle occurred, until the fleet was destroyed or no longer in a hostile zone. Air combat operated similarly to naval combat, with multiple wings able to 'stack' and no limit to total wings assigned to a single province. Defeated surviving wings returned to base; if bombers lost their escort they suffered damage proportionate to the outcome. The exact calculations of air supremacy against ground and sea forces were not explained. External links * IOT 5 game thread ** Orders thread Category:Co-moderated games Category:Industrial-era games Category:IOT5 Beta